


The scent of your soul matches mine

by JustTheTwoOfUs



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: AU, AU fostercare, AU soulmate, Abuse, Aging out, Drug Use, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/M, Foster Care, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Multi, Slow Burn, Student/teacher relationship, soulmate, soulmate tattoo, underage mentions
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-04
Updated: 2019-07-20
Packaged: 2020-04-07 12:48:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19085365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustTheTwoOfUs/pseuds/JustTheTwoOfUs
Summary: Aging out of the system is Rey's biggest fear. She has no match, no money and no idea what she is doing.Hux understands what she feels, because he was there. No home, no life. All he can do is hope she takes his hand.Ben is just along for the ride.A/U soulmate // A/U Foster Care // Give it a chance, yo





	1. Runaway

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, I made her last name Rey Jakku. Fight me.  
> Yes, this is a soulmate fic. Fight me.

Rey wandered around the darkened city, her bag tight on her back and her nerves on end. She didn’t like the city at night, but she hated her foster parents more. The haze surrounding the house she lived in with four other girls her age, the men that visited and paid her foster folks for intimate time for her more attractive counterparts, the seedy smells that came from various locked doors in her residence. She would rather brave the city at night, finding a nice hideaway to sleep in before returning in the early hours of the morning to shower and maybe catch a meal if there was anything worth eating. She usually stuck to the suburbs. The nicer houses that had two floors often had large playhouses in their backyards, treehouses that were lofted into large oaks that felt sturdy enough to support her weight. 

She had avoided the suburbs tonight because Plutt was looking for her. 

She had broken a bong on her way out, trying to avoid the fighting that was going on around her, and he looked like he was out for blood. She had fled as he was shoving his large, ballooned feet into his shoes and managed to hide in a bush as his old car drove by with the windows down. She knew he knew where her usual hideouts were and made the decision to head the opposite way tonight. Her bag had accidentally caught the end of the bong and she had tried to catch the object, knowing it had cost a few hundred dollars that technically belonged to her. It slipped through her trembling fingers and shattered, as did her world. 

Plutt and his newest female friend were fighting about money, as usual. It always was money, with him. Anything he could get his hands on to pawn, or sell, or barter with for drugs, which he would use or sell. Or the girls he housed. Unkar Plutt was somehow a foster father, often obtaining several children at once. He would end placement with an absurd reason, like that the kid was troublesome or doing drugs or sneaking out, and be sent a new teenager. The man himself was pale and large, beady eyed and conniving. Rey knew within the week she’d been placed that he would not let her go, and that she was destined for hell. She’d been at his for years now, going to school during the day and dumpster diving for him in the evenings, finding him little treasures. He was unable to find the good stuff, deep down under the garbage, because of his size. Instead, little Rey with her lithe, underfed frame was perfect. 

She’d turned in her small loot found that night, a gold chain at the bottom of a trash can down the street from a jeweler, and gained access to a sandwich that was stale, before they’d started. The payment for fostering had come and gone, as per usual, and she was livid about this. Rey rolled her eyes, scarfing the food down so that she could return to her room, but instead decided to flee. She could hear crying from a distant room and the smell of marijuana hung heavy in the air. Plutt was side eyeing her mischievously, on his phone and arguing at the same time. It was a skill of his. 

It made her feel slimy. 

She hoisted her bag up to her shoulders, the weight of a weeks' worth of clothes at the bottom beneath her books, and moved slowly. The backdoor was to her back, worth the try, and as she turned, the tail caught the glass. 

And now, here she was, wandering around the city at night, trying to stay inconspicuous. She didn’t want the cops to pick her up and she didn’t want Plutt to find her. She was walking around the corner of an apartment building when it happened. 

“Give me your wallet.” The voice was quiet in her ear but the feel of a knife in her back made her stiffen up. “Your jewelry, your phone, everything you got.” 

“I don’t have anything.” She whimpered as his grip on her elbow tightened. He grunted. 

“You a posh little thing. I’m sure you got something.” His breath was thick with alcohol and the scent of unwashed mouth. She swallowed hard, willing her limbs to move. 

“I really don’t. I’m a foster kid. I barely have the clothes on my back.” She spat. The knife came up into her back again, making her regret the attitude she’d given him. 

“Then I’ll just have to take those, won’t I?” The tone had her freeze up but her arms finally moved. She jerked out of his grasp and dropped to the ground, using her leg to sweep his feet out from under him. He fell with a grunt and the knife clattered away into the dark. She sprung up, adrenalin rushing, and tried to run past him. He moved faster than she expected, grabbing her ankle and bringing her down to her knees. She felt the skin break and her knee grew hot and wet against the sidewalk. His hands grasped at her shorts, pulling tightly, trying to grab for the wallet he assumed she had. His hands grasped the crotch of her shorts and she let out a shout, throwing her foot back to kick at him. He was stronger, held her steady while getting up. Suddenly, the hand was gone. She looked behind her, unwilling to bloody up her other knee by being pushed down again, and saw a man in a black hoodie standing where the would-be robber had been. Except the man was on the ground, hands up by his face, blabbering about ‘hey, hey, hey, you got me all wrong friend’. 

The hoodie turned to face her and she got her first look at her savior. Blue piercing eyes, ivory skin, ginger hair. He lifted two gloved hands up to his hood and pulled it down. 

“Are you alright?” He asked carefully. She nodded and accepted his hand to stand. The pressure of standing hurt but she wasn’t about to give the burglar the satisfaction of seeing that he’d hurt her. She stood behind the tall man, her eyes downcast, while he looked back to the man. “I should call the police.” 

“Please don’t.” She asked quietly. He turned to her again with surprise. “Long story, but please don’t.” 

“Are you sure?” He mumbled. “He attacked you! I saw him groping you!” 

“It isn’t worth the trouble it’s going to cause me in the end.” She admitted. His face softened as he heard this, and gave a slight nod. 

“If you say so.” He turned back to the man, who was getting up. “If I ever see you around here again, friend, I will report you to the police myself. And if they don’t take care of it, I will.” The tone sent shivers down her arms. It was terrifying. The man nodded and ran off. 

The blue-eyed man turned to face her and let out a breath, his mouth coming together in a half smile. 

“Thank you.” Rey mumbled. She didn’t like being indebted to people, especially people she didn’t know, and really didn’t like that her focus allowed her to be snuck up on. 

“Are you really okay? I can take you to the hospital or a police station.” He asked her. She shook her head and started to back away. 

“No, no, thank you, but really. I’m fine.” She held her hands up and turned to walk away, trying to hide the limp she was starting to have. 

“Then come inside and let me clean you up. I’m an EMT.” He suggested. She paused, turning her head over her shoulder to look at him. Her brows came together. “I’m not a murderer, I promise.” 

She turned back to him. “How do I know that?” 

“Because that man walked away, even after assaulting a woman in the middle of the night.” He was quick to respond and she didn’t correct her age. She looked down at her knee, which was split open and bleeding down her leg, into her white socks which sucked, because she didn’t have another pair at all. 

“Alright. Fine. Do you live far?” She agreed so that she could avoid an infection and the hospital in general. Who knew what kind of germs were on the sidewalk and nurses asked too many questions for her liking. 

“Just here, it’s on the first floor.” He started to walk away, waiting for her to limp up to him. “What’s your name?” 

“Rey.” 

“I’m Armitage.” 

“Armitage?” She looked at him. “That’s quite a mouthful.” 

“You can call me Arm if you want, but most people just call me Hux. It’s my last name.” He walked slow for her sake. “Are you from here?” 

“I was born overseas but was brought here by my parents.” 

“Won’t they be missing you this late?” He checked his watch. “It’s nearly eleven on a Sunday.” 

“They abandoned me at a fire station when I was six. I’m a foster kid. I’m escaping my asshole foster father.” She said the bare minimum with a low tone, so that he knew it was an off-limits topic. 

“Ah, yeah, I’ve been there.” He admitted with a small laugh. They were at the complex now, walking down rows of doors. The building looked nice, probably incredibly expensive, and she hoped she wouldn’t ruin anything with her bloody leg. She gave him a strange look. 

“You were a foster kid?” She asked curiously. He gave her a smile and stopped at a door. He fished for his keys in a bag that was sitting on the welcome mat. 

“My father died when I was a teenager, about sixteen, and I got put in for a few years. Bounced around until I aged out, and went to school to become a paramedic.” He shrugged and found the keys, unlocking the door and pushing it open. “Please, after you.” 

She took a step in and her eyes widened. She hadn’t seen a clean home in a very long time but this was nearly immaculate. The entry way led right into the living area and kitchen, which was all beech wood and granite. The table was tall, four chairs surrounding it, a laptop open and facing the wall. She could see doors on opposite sides of the wall, and assumed bedroom and bathroom. Although very well kept, she could see touches of a lived-in home. Laundry basket next to the couch, photos hung on the wall carefully, a glass of water on the coffee table. 

“I’m home!” He called out, shutting the door behind himself and locking the deadbolt. She paused, unsure of where to go. The floors were some type of dark wood but everything else that was upholstered was white, and she didn’t want to stain anything. “Come on, let’s get you up on the bar. You can leave your bag here.” 

“The bar?” She asked dumbly, following slowly. He pointed to the floor and she set her backpack down next to the couch, next to his bag, and let him lead her to the kitchen. She dripped on the white floor as she removed her shoes and her socks as his request. Her cheeks flushed and he gave her a soft smile and told her not to worry about the floors or her socks. 

He helped her sit on the bar and took a good look at her knee quietly. She knew her skin was dirty from diving today, and that she probably smelled bad, but he didn’t say anything except make small observations about her knee. 

“I need to clean this before infection sets in. You might need some stitches. It’s pretty large but shallow so maybe some gauze to seal it and a bandage.” He turned to the cabinets and opened it, pulling a large white box out. Inside were wrapped tools, bandages, medical grade equipment and painkillers Rey happily downed with a glass of fresh water. As he dabbed the area with a cleaning agent, a door behind her open and shut. 

“What did you bring home now, Hux?” A deep voice asked with amusement. She felt her spine stiffen up. She knew that voice. 

“Hey, that old fuck out from attacked her. I couldn’t let her go without bandaging her up!” 

“Did he now?” The voice drolled out walking over to the kitchen with soft steps. She took her lower lip into her mouth and waited for the shouting to start when he realized who she was. “You could have called the police.” 

“She didn’t want to. Long story.” He winked at her just as her gym teacher came around the corner of the counter. There was a moment they made eye contact, his dark eyes meeting hers with apprehension coming right from her. To his credit, he didn’t react the way she thought he would. 

“Rey Jakku.” Was all he said. She just looked up to him and smiled awkwardly. 

“Mr. Solo.” 

“Wait, you know her?” Armitage asked his roommate as he patted at the cut. She hissed in pain. 

“She’s in my gym class.” Mr. Solo answered without taking his eyes off of her. “Fourth period.” She shrugged. 

“Fifth, but close.” She responded. There was an awkward silence. 

“What are you doing wandering the streets in the middle of the night?” Mr. Solo asked her. She winced again as Armitage poured more antiseptic across her leg. 

“Fancied a stroll in the moonlight.” She responded quickly. Ben's glare had her bite her lower lip. “Sorry, uh, escaping my foster dad. Look, I’d really appreciate if you kept this under wraps Mr. Solo.” 

“How old are you, darling?” Armitage asked her sweetly as if he was speaking to a twelve-year-old. 

“I’ll be eighteen in a month.” She said, turning her eyes back to those soft blue orbs. She’d much prefer to stare at Armitage over her gym teacher, who she’d seen every day for the last three years. 

“School just started a few weeks ago, didn't it.” Armitage said, pausing his cleaning. He tossed down the third dirty rag and shook his head, taping gauze to her knee as he spoke. “You’re going to need to take a shower. I wasn’t going to be rude, but you smell like you’ve been wandering down in a dumpster all day and I want you to be fully clean before I fix this. Atta girl.” He lifted her to the floor, ignoring her flushed cheeks and sputtering about how this was too much. Ben just glared daggers over her head. 

“I’m not sure-” 

“Go through that door and you’ll see the bathroom. There are towels in the cabinet. I’ll lay out a shirt and some joggers on the bed.” He gave her a little shove towards the door to his bedroom and kept nodding at her until she limped to the bedroom and closed the door behind her. He ignored Ben’s glaring until he heard his shower running, cleaning up his medical supplies in the meantime. 

“What are you doing, Hux?” Ben asked, his stance firm. His arms crossed over his chest and he allowed his displeasure to radiate around the kitchen. Armitage cleared his throat as he wiped down the counter where she’d been sitting. He enjoyed clean spaces and wasn’t going to mention the odor that seemed to follow her, but he couldn’t focus between the smell of old garbage and her obvious discomfort at sitting on her gym teacher’s kitchen counter. 

“Look Ben, I get where she is coming from. She’d rather be outside this late at night than at her house. That speaks for itself. I remember wanting to run away from foster families too, families that hurt me. All I can offer her is a place to stay tonight, away from that life, and give her some respite.” 

“Maybe you forgot what just happened, but I am her gym coach. Her high school gym coach. Arm, she can’t stay here. It’s wildly inappropriate. If someone finds out that a seventeen-year-old spent the night at her teacher’s apartment. Regardless of what happens, I could lose my teaching license. I could lose everything I’ve built here. Everything we’ve built.” Ben lowered his arms to grasp the counter. “We’ve worked so fucking hard, Arm, so fucking hard to get away from the past. Look at what we’ve made here. Nice apartment, nice jobs, nice lives!” 

“What about her life?” Armitage asked quietly. Ben stopped suddenly, looking at his best friend with pitiful eyes. 

“We should report her situation to the authorities.” 

“Do you know what they’ll do?” Armitage questioned. His tone was growing hard and Ben could tell he’d struck a nerve. 

“Get her into a good home.” At this, Hux let out an emotionless chuckle. Ben lowered his eyes to the counter, now shining with cleaning spray. 

“They’ll send her somewhere else she’ll be abused. There are some good foster homes out there, but they are few and far between. She’d be better off running away and starting her own life. Like I did. Like you did. Why can’t we give her some help? She’ll age out at eighteen and she will be alone. How will she stay in school?” He looked up to Ben, but as Ben opened his mouth, Armitage kept talking over him. “She won’t. She’ll drop out. She’ll do whatever she can to make money and to keep shelter over her head. She looks like a fighter, I doubt she’d dip into prostitution or porn, but when you’re that hungry Ben...when you’re that scared and tired of fighting, and just done with life....” He trailed off and his eyes glassed over with the past. “At eighteen, she won’t have anyone.” 

“Your heart is too big.” Ben snapped. “I wish I would have known that before picking you as my best friend.” The joke made Hux grin broadly. 

“It’s too late for that, my friend.” He threw the towel he’d used to clean the counter away and crossed to the laundry basket, digging for a pair of joggers he knew had shrunk in the wash and was intending to donate. Finding them, he went into his room after making sure the shower was still running, to drop them off on his bed with a loose-fitting band tee he still had from when he was a teenager. He sat on the edge of his bed, rubbing his eyes with the palms of his hands, when the bathroom door opened. He hadn’t even heard the water shut off. 

She was wrapped in his black towel, her hair sticking to her face, with tears falling down her face. She saw him sitting on the bed staring at her and cleared her throat, wiping at her face. 

“Listen, you’ve been very nice to me. But this is too much Armitage. Please, can you just fix up my knee so that I can go back ho-to my house?” Her voice was tight. His eyes met hers with an understanding. 

“Where have you been sleeping, Rey?” He asked. Her shoulders stiffened and she pulled the towel around her tighter. 

“That’s none of your business.” She said, her voice rough. She’d been crying in her shower then. 

“When was the last time you had a shower that good? Or a decent meal? Or new clothes?” His voice was raising. “I was there Rey! I know what it feels like!” 

“Do you?” Her tone was low now, her eyes red-rimmed and her chin trembling. She looked so frail that Hux just wanted to sweep her in his arms and hold her until she felt better. To kiss the pout away. He had a soft spot for strong women, but Rey was something else. 

“Do you know what it feels like to watch your foster father sell the girls who room with you? To watch them hurt and cry and know that you have the better end of the deal? To have to dig in the fucking trash to earn your dinner? You know what, Arm? Fine. Fine! My showers are always cold and timed. I don’t have soap or shampoo to use. I don’t have a period but that’s a good thing because the other girls get theirs and there are no products for them to use. The social worker doesn’t give a damn about four girls who are living with a drug pushing pimp. The government doesn’t care about the girl who is about to phase out, who will never have this-” She gestured around his bedroom. “-or anything nice! I will never meet my match or find who they are! I won't have anything to contribute to the relationship or to the rest of my life! To be honest, those bloodstained socks are the only socks I’ve got. And they’re ruined. All the clothes I own are in my fucking bag out there and they haven’t seen a washing machine since I’ve owned them! I wash my clothes in the sink at that fucking junk yard house that I live in!” She was sobbing now. “And I just can’t...I don’t understand why you’re being so fucking nice to me!” 

“Rey, I was there once too.” He stood up from his bed. “I was the kid who lost his parents later than the rest. I remember what it felt like to have a parent, to have freedom and love. I would have killed someone to get back what I had. I bounced around seventeen houses in two years. I was the ‘problem child’. In reality, I just didn’t like old men touching me.” He said the last part quietly. She looked at him with understanding. 

“I don’t want pity.” She said to him. He chuckled. 

“None of us do.” He looked at her. “I’m not pitying you, Rey. I am trying to help you because I have been there. Let me help you.” He was pleading. “You’re going to age out and you won’t have anyone to help you.” 

“Is that what happened to you?” She whispered, the look of fear in her eyes. Clearly this had been on her mind. 

“Yes. And that old fuck was in the hospital and pressed charges against me. The only thing that got me out of juvie was the proof that he’d been molesting me for months. He went in for life, but I was on the streets at eighteen. I aged out on a weekday. I was sleeping at friends’ houses for weeks before I decided, fuck it. I ran away. I ended up doing things I never wanted to do, or even thought I’d do. If I can save someone from that life, I will do all I can. Rey, I know you because I was you.” 

“I wouldn’t put the burden of caring for me on anyone, Armitage. You’ve been incredibly kind to me, but I can’t accept anything else from you. It's not like we're bound or anything.” 

He sighed at this. “Then let me offer you something else.” 

“What?” She eyed him wearily. 

“Instead of sleeping wherever, or running away to wherever, come here instead.” 

“I-” He lifted his hands at her. 

“Please, Rey.” 

She looked at him and gave a soft smile. It felt nice to be taken care of. A hot shower, maybe he’d make her a hot meal or two. A friend who’d been there, who knew what the system was and what to expect. She looked around his room, taking in everything he had. He started with nothing, and gained so much. She could learn something from him. 

As she nodded, he exhaled a deep breath and crossed the room to hug her tightly. Her shoulders tightened at the contact and he pulled away quickly. 

“Sorry.” He mumbled sheepishly. 

“No, no.” She stammered. “It’s just that...well.... Nobody has hugged me in... years.” She looked up at him. “Maybe, I could get dressed?” He stepped back and realized she was still in his towel. His face flushed red, eyes sweeping up from her feet to her face, seeing everything that was visible, including the small circle tattooed on her collarbone. 

“Oh, right, uh I’ll go...are you hungry? I’ll make something.” He rushed from the room, leaving her to giggle at the situation. She pulled the joggers on, feeling the scratch of the gauze against the soft pants. The shirt fit her loose but it was soft, and it smelled clean. She walked out of the bedroom to smell something buttery. Her mouth salivated as she went to sit on a barstool. Mr. Solo sat at the laptop, typing furiously while Hux flipped something in a pan. She looked on silently, between Mr. Solo and Armitage. How did she end up in this predicament? How was she so stupid as to allow herself to be so vulnerable? As Hux slid a grilled cheese in front of her and plated one for himself, she allowed her walls to rest a little, to allow someone to help her.


	2. Personals

Armitage insisted she sleep in his bed. He was fine with the couch, he told her, it was incredibly comfortable, and she would not be putting him out at all. She wearily eyed the empty plate as he ushered her to bed, talking about school in the morning. She had forgotten it was Sunday and groaned, gently lowering herself off the barstool and crossing to Hux’s room. She shut the door behind her softly.

“You are out of your bloody mind if you think I would let her go back there.” Armitage’s tone was full of disappointment. “I can’t believe you Ben.”

“It’s not that I don’t want to help her Army, it’s that she is literally my student. I could lose my licensing to teach and the police might get involved if anyone finds out.” Ben looked up at Armitage, his dark eyes clouded with sadness. “You and I, we have worked so damn hard to get this life. So hard to be rid of debts and the past, to have food every night and a roof over our heads, and fucking beds. Beds, Hux. Nobody else understands that kind of privilege.” Ben stood up, crossing to stand in front of Armitage. He placed a large hand on the narrow waist and pulled him close. Their foreheads touched, warm and connecting, and Hux let out a breath.

“She does. And I think it will be okay, she is more connected with us than she knows.” He said, touching Ben's collarbone. Ben opened his eyes, resignation written in them.

“Yeah, she does know what it's like. She hides it so well though. You think she might be...?” Ben whispered. Hux leaned forward and gave a small peck to Ben’s mouth with a smile.

“Tell me more about her in bed, darling.” Hux left the dishes in the sink and pulled Ben to the bedroom, eager to crawl into the soft black sheets. They undressed quietly and tucked in next to each other, Hux wrapped in Ben, Ben stroking the red heads back softly as he talked about the student.

“She has always been…unmemorable. But I can remember the first time seeing her in gym class. Her gym clothes were always stained, and they stank, I can remember that vividly. As if she was washing them without detergent. In hindsight, that makes sense now. She had a butchered haircut and always made excuses for the bruises that would peek out on her arms. I guess now I should have seen in.” Ben whispered. “She is strong though. We do kickboxing and staff fighting and yoga. She can perform all of it regularly and perfectly. I bet she uses the knowledge to protect herself. I remember her missing some school sophomore year. I checked into her grades. She is an A student with no permanent record. The foster label is there, but I didn’t even consider she was in trouble. She always seemed content. Her friends would share their lunch with her on days she didn’t have her own. I guess after that, I began to notice her all the time. In the hallway, talking to Finn Trooper. Having her hair braided by Rose Tico after gym. Being flirted at by Poe Dameron. Flirted at because I’ve never seen her return the affections before.” He chuckled at Poe’s obvious disappointment at the casual turndown in the hallway.

“The poor dear.” Hux mumbled against the freckled skin, planting soft kisses along Ben’s shoulder. “She has suffered in silence for so long. Like you did.”

“Being kidnapped by an old fuck is hardly the same as being in foster care.” Ben said. Hux rolled his eyes and gave Ben a glare. “I mean, maybe not, but technically….”

“Oh, shut it with your technicalities.” Hux gave a soft laugh. “We are going to help her.”

“What if she doesn’t want our help, Arm?”

“She might not at first, but once she sees what she could have, then she will come around. An A student, you said? She has a lot of potential then.” Hux. Closed his eyes and took a deep breath of the Old Spice and sandalwood smell Ben always carried around.

Across the apartment, Rey breathed in the same smell off Hux’s pillows, lulling herself to sleep with a sense of safety she hadn’t felt in a long time.

 

\---***---

 

The alarm across the apartment woke her up. She was used to the quietest sounds waking her. The sun was peeking through the curtains with an orange and pink haze that signaled early morning. She stretched, expecting the muscles to protest another night asleep outside when she felt the blanket slip off her body. Her eyes opened to a blue room with white furniture, and the memory of the night before came roaring back. Her accepting help, promising to come here when she ran away. Having a warm meal, a hot shower, actually clean clothes to wear. She ran a hand through her hair, surprised at the lack of oil. Those shampoos must have brought the softness back into it.

A soft knock on the door had her head snap up at the sound. She remembered Plutt knocking at their door before opening it, choosing a girl from random or from request to visit the other rooms in the house. This knock was not harsh, heavy handed or cruel. This knock was soft, delicate. She cleared her throat, shaking the memory from her head.

“Come in.”

“Good morning. How did you sleep?” Hux came in the room, his face bright despite the early hour. She smiled at him, a genuine grin.

“How did you manage to bottle a cloud and put it in bed form?” She asked him. He chuckled at this, crossing the room to his closet. She remained on the bed under the sheet. He tossed a pair of socks at her and she grabbed them off the blanket, holding them tightly to her chest.

“I am magic, that’s why.” He finally responded, pulling a white tee over his pale chest. She noticed the tattoo but said nothing. It was too dark and too far to get a good look and she wasn't about to ask to see his mark. She nodded at him and held up the socks.

“Thank you.”

“Anytime, and I mean it.” He grabbed the hanger with his uniform and shot her a soft smile as he left the room, shutting the door behind him. She got up, heading to the bathroom wash her face and use the facilities. She was quick about it, not sure what he would do to get ready.

She emerged to find him holding a toothbrush towards her.

“We have extra for friends who stay over.” He said. She bit her lower lip and nodded. “Mind if I join you?”

“Join me?” She asked as she took the toothbrush from his hand.

“Just to brush my teeth really quick. Then I’ll leave you be.” He waited for her to nod again before slipping past her. They brushed their teeth in silence together and she left him be so that he could do his morning routine.

Rey left the bedroom to find her backpack, desperate to put her clothes on and get ready for school. Mr. Solo was nowhere to be found, but her backpack was opened on the table. She sprinted towards it, embarrassed they’d seen her personal effects or even looked through it. Anger boiled behind her eyelids. Did they not understand that was all she had?

The door behind the table opened and Mr. Solo walked out, dressed in his usual teacher wardrobe. Normally, the dark sweatpants with the black polo were intimidating. But this morning, in the face of her privacy betrayed, she was irritated, and her lips were loose from the relaxed evening she’d had.

“Did you go through my things?” She demanded. He shrugged, placing his laptop on the table and sighing.

“I did.” He admitted. She stuttered, exasperated at this. “I threw everything in that bag into the washer when I woke up this morning. It should be almost done drying by now.” He avoided her eyes. Her face grew red as she realized her gym teacher had touched her underthings.

“You…washed…my…things?” She managed to get out. He nodded, his eyes back up to hers now. He had the good grace to look embarrassed and she chewed her lower lip in frustration.

“Well, Rey, your clothes…smelled. They needed a good washing.” His frankness threw her for a loop, her cheeks darkening even more. “There is a washing machine and dryer here, fully functional. You are always welcome to use them.”

“I, uh, I’m….” She stumbled over the words as the dryer alarm sounded. “Thank you, I guess.”

“You and I are in a…strange predicament, Miss Jakku.”

“If that’s what you call this.” She said softly.

“Furthermore, I would appreciate discretion when discussing your new…evening activities with your schoolmates. Should it get out that you are spending the nights in a teacher’s residence, regardless of the situations at hand, it could potentially cause me to lose my job and have legal charges pressed against me.” His tone was firm. She could see the concern behind his walls.

“Alright, I won’t tell anyone. I wouldn’t tell anyone anyway. Thank you for washing my clothes.” She moved to take them from the dryer and stuffed them back into her bag, leaving out underwear, a sports bra, a tee and worn jeans. She went to Hux’s room to dress quickly and pulled her new socks on, relishing in the feeling of a new pair. She left her hair down, tucking it behind her ears and went back into the living room, where Mr. Solo was pulling on his Nike’s.

“Would you like me to drop you off near the school?” He asked her. She nodded, slipping her feet into her shoes and pulling the bag over her shoulders. The smell of Tide and fresh clothing had her head spinning. She would accept this kindness this morning, but that was it. She would not return here, especially if it would affect the livelihood of one of her teachers.

She followed him out, giving Hux a wave as he packed his medical bag, and made sure to keep her face low. She slipped into the black vehicle, glad for the tinted windows, and made sure to stay quiet in the awkward air. She looked up when she felt them pulling in but was surprised to find him in a drive thru at a Starbucks.

“What do you want?” He asked her. She shook her head.

“Nothing.”

“Oh, come on, for breakfast, Rey. It’s on me.” He was insistent.

“I’ve never eaten here before.” She admitted. “I don’t know what they have.”

“I’ll order for you then.” He turned back to the speaker and listed off items. The price given made her head spin, but she accepted the hot drink and warm breakfast sandwich, biting slowly into the soft bun. The taste of meat and cheese was great, hot against her tongue, and she gingerly chewed and swallowed each bite until she was holding just a wrapper. He took it from her as they approached a gas station that was a block from her school and wrapped it with his own wrapper.

She took a sip of her drink, a hot chocolate, but couldn’t help her eyes fluttering shut. She hadn’t had a hot chocolate in years, not since Rose’s Christmas party during freshman year.

“I am going to drop you off here, but you’re a block away so it won’t take long for you to get to school. Armitage packed you a lunch today.” Ben handed over a small brown sack and Rey took it, dropping it in her bag gently.

“Will you tell him thank you for me?”

“Why don’t you tell him yourself?” Ben asked. “When you come back.”

“I don’t want to cause you any trouble.” She said quietly. “I don’t want you to lose your job.”

“That’s what I figured you were going to say.” Ben put the car in park and looked at her. She got lost in the stare, her throat hammering with her pulse as he spoke sincerely.

“Armitage has asked you to come back instead of going to sleep somewhere you could get hurt. He has opened our home to you. Do not mistake this kindness for weakness, Miss Jakku. He has taken an interest in making sure you are okay. Do not make him regret this.”

“I won’t.” She said honestly.

“That being said, you are welcome in our home anytime you need to. We keep a spare key hidden behind a loose brick to the left of the door. I expect you to come back.”

She found herself nodding in agreement, his gaze intense and mesmerizing.

“I will see you in fifth period, Rey.” He closed the conversation and she stepped out of the car, watching him drive away. Finally, she took a deep breath and let the cool morning air relax.

For the second time in so many days, she wondered what she had gotten herself into. She set off towards her school, backpack tight on her back, stomach full and heart clenched.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slowly but surely building


	3. Defiance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, triggers for ALMOST non-con and for underaged mentions, also drugs.

How was she expected to focus, when all she could smell was the Tide on her clothes and the hint of sandalwood that lingered in her memory? How could she even finish her government paper when the crisp brown bag sat on top of her clothes, filling her bag with the scent of ham and cheese? How could she sit quietly in her calculus class knowing that in fifth period, Mr. Solo would be there? He knew about her situation. He knew about her scraped knee and her lack of love at home…he knew what her underwear looked like, for fucks sake. Even if it wasn’t in a sexual manner, the fact that he’d handled the four-year-old underwear so casually to dumb them into the washer for her at an ungodly hour, simply to please his friend and roommate, settled deep into her stomach and gave her a headache.

She brushed off Poe, feigning sickness, and told Rose she wasn’t feeling well. She headed to the library for her third period class, which was a study hall for her, and opened her English lit final project book. She stared at the pages, not flipping a single one during the thirty minutes she tried to focus on Brave New World, on Lenina Crowne’s struggles at remaining promiscuous in a world that allowed and accepted such behavior.

“Rey?” The voice startled her. The book went flying out of her hands as she leaned back on the couch, eyes wide and mouth opened with a gasp.

“Oh God, Finn!” She shouted, earning a glare from the librarian on duty. She waved an apology and glared at her friend. “What are you even doing? Have you lost your marbles?”

“Sorry, Rose had mentioned you weren’t feeling well. I figured I would come and see you.” He gave her a soft smile, picking the book up off the floor. She sighed, shrugging.

“It’s just a headache. I’ve had it all day. Poor night’s sleep.” She brushed the concern off. “Aren’t you supposed to be in calculus? What will poor Mrs. Applebaum think of you ditching?  Her prized student?” Rey teased softly. Finn’s face grew pink under the dark skin.

“I am not her prized student. Not in the slightest.” Finn held his hall pass up. “I told her my stomach hurt so I have all the time in the world.” He took a seat next to her and handed her the book back. She took it and let it lay on her lap. “Rey, you…look different.”

“Do I?” She looked down at her clothes, noticing a lack of stains across the grey tee. “I found some change and managed to bum some detergent from an old lady at the laundromat.”

“You are more than welcome to use my mom’s washing machine, Rey.” Finn stated bluntly. “You are more than welcome in my home anytime you want.”

“Yes, but then your mother tries to get us together. And I know that’s as weird for you as it is for me.” Rey had a point there. Mrs. Trooper was a kind soul, a gentle woman who wanted nothing more than her son to find himself a lovely woman to settle down with. And Finn, well, Finn would much rather spend time with Poe than anyone else, considering they were matched.

“You’re right there.” He sighed, rubbing the small circle on his wrist, the one with Poe's name written in delicate cursive. “Did you take something for your headache?”

“Yeah I bummed two Advil off a freshman this morning.” She slid the book into her bag as the librarian glared towards them again. “Head back to class before she comes over here and tells you off.”

“I guess I should. Come over tonight if you’re feeling better.” He stood and looked at her.

“Totally, if I’m better.” She agreed, knowing she wouldn’t go. Finn gave her a wave and jogged out of the library as the aide stared after him. Rey knew she wouldn’t impose on any more of her friends’ lives. Rose was often busy with college prep and studied hard. Finn’s mother worked two jobs to keep the roof over her and her boy’s head, and Rey couldn’t accept food from someone who worked so hard to eat their own dinner. Any night with Poe would end with marijuana and a desire to just give up and tell someone what was going on.

Any night with Armitage ended in grilled cheese.

She stomped that thought down as the bell rang, signaling her chemistry class was next.

Surprisingly, although not entirely, she couldn’t focus on that either and ended up burning a hole in the apron she wore during the experiments.

By the time lunch came around, she could feel a hole burning in her bag, although her stomach wasn’t growling angrily at her like it usually did. She avoided the lunch table she shared with her friends and took a spot in the courtyard under the warm sun. She didn’t want them to ask about her packed lunch.

She unwrapped the sandwich and bit into the wheat bun, crunching grain and ham and cheese together until she swallowed and almost moaned with the taste. It was filling, but there was more in the bag. Chips, a packaged cookie, and even a little gummi snack bag. She was glad she didn’t have to show her friends her lunch. There was no way to explain the little gummi snacks away.

“Enjoying yourself?” The voice behind her startled her and she leaped up, shoving the extras back into her brown bag. She looked frantically around until she saw Mr. Solo, an amused smirk across his face. She glared as she sat back down, pulling the food back out.

“I was, thank you very much. Until you scared me!” She took another bite and tried to chew slower.

“I will be glad to let Army know that you liked his lunch. He prides himself on those sandwiches.”

“It’s very good.” Rey said between bites. Mr. Solo bit his lower lip and took a step closer to her. From the outside, a respectable distance stood between them. From inside, Rey felt her heart hammering in her ears. She’d never been this close to her gym teacher, not close enough to see freckles dusting his skin, or that his lips were dark from his energy drink he held tightly in his hands, or that it was him that smelled of sandalwood that lingered on Armitage’s pillows.

The sudden realization hit her, and she swallowed her food hard.

“We eat dinner at seven thirty.” He mumbled, turning and walking off. It took her a moment to process what he’d said. Was this his way of reiterating what he had said in his car this morning?

Could she take from someone who once had as little as she?

She finished her meal and snacks, saving the gummi snack’s for after school, and headed to gym. Mr. Solo was a master at hiding emotions, and even as he instructed them through a kickboxing class -her personal favorite- he hid any feelings he might have towards her. She appreciated it.

The rest of the day passed as fast as the morning had, with her distracted and full and tired. As the clock ticked closer to four thirty, her nerved burnt. She knew what awaited her at Plutt’s home night. Even as she pondered the beating she might get, she chewed the edge of her pen absentmindedly, listening to her world history teacher drone on, she still jumped a little at the bell. The signal of her normal life and back into hell.

She packed up, heading down the stairway in a daze. Down the hall, out the doors, her bag tight on her back, her secret gummi snacks still hidden beneath her notebook. The house was a few blocks from the school, and so she walked like she always did. Plutt would never pick her up from school. It was nearly six when she made it to the worn house, the paneling a faded blue and the roof torn up from the storms. She swallowed her nerves and walked inside, knowing she was the last girl to arrive even though they all attended the same school.

“Where you been, girl?” The voice came booming from the living room. Her fingers clenched against the backpack straps.

“School, sir.” She said with more gall than she truly had at that moment. Plutt ‘s footsteps towards her thundered across the creaking wooden floor and had her frozen to the spot. She couldn’t have begged her feet to move. His hand came up as he approached, harsh and fast, and came down, catching the side of her head. Her knees buckled beneath her and she caught her weight with her palms on the ground. She faced the floor, not wanting to look up at him, and took a deep breath.

“None of that sass, now.” Plutt’s scruffy voice was thick with impairment. She didn’t know if it was drugs or alcohol. “Where were you last night?”

“I was at my friends’ house sir, I told them nothing.” She promised him with a heavy voice. His foot nudged her leg and she rolled as his leg reared back to kick her. The impact on her thigh was painful, stinging, and she couldn’t help the intake of breath through her teeth and the tears that threatened to spill from beneath her shut lids. She refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry. His large fingers gripped her hair and pulled her upward.

This was why she wore it up and spread out in three buns, to avoid the amount he could grab at once. She was drug to her feet and his other hand gripped her shoulder tightly. She would have to explain more bruising away if he was not more careful with her. She kept her eyes shut but could feel his hot, rotting breath against her face.

“You getting older.” He said. She allowed a gap between her lids to see him staring at her, the same way he stared at Anna and Lucie and Jenna. Her veins filled with ice. “I got the letter today. You turn eighteen in a matter of weeks.” She was shivering now. “You don’t bring any good things back no more. I ought to take your worth and cash it out, shouldn’t I?” He dripped her to the floor, her damaged knee screaming. She remained there, heart hammering in her chest. “I know just what to do. Go on and git, up to the room.” He shoved her with his leg and walked off, his phone already in his hand. She felt her body moving, dragging her to her feet. Her knee ached beneath the bandages, her heart beneath her chest.

She knew exactly what he meant.

Her worth cashed out.

She would be eighteen and he wouldn’t get any money from her anymore.

He would cash her out with her flesh, if he had to.

She walked up the stairs to the room her and the other girls shared, her mouth dry and her face numb. She could feel the bruising forming already. Jenna was laying on her mattress that was in the far corner, a blunt between her fingers. At sixteen, she was the most attractive of the four of them with dark blonde hair, blue eyes and a slender body. She was used to the foster life, which was disappointing. She’d been in since she was young. Lucie was brushing her hair in the other corner of the room, her mattress much smaller than the others since she was the shortest. She was seventeen, only just, and had been with Plutt only a few months longer than Rey had been. Anna was missing, which led Rey to believe she’d been bought.

“Look who it is, little goodie two shoes.” Jenna said slowly. She was obviously already stoned, about half way down the blunt, rubbing her head with a languish hand. “Little goodie two shoes who is ready to be a real foster kid.”

“Shut it Jenna.” Rey snapped, looking around the room. She kept her personal items on her at all times, but she wanted to see if there was anything she would need before running away. She would be damned if she let some sleaze bag have her virginity.

The room was devoid of personals, just clothes scattered on the floor. An ash tray sat next to Jenna. Lucie ignored the two, brushing her hair gently, trying to get the stick out of it. Rey noticed nothing new, and instead reached under her mattress to grab a bag of weed she had hidden for an emergency. She didn’t enjoy getting high, but she knew she could get cash by selling it if she needed it. She placed it at the bottom of her backpack before pulling it back on.

The door slammed open and all three girls jumped. Plutt hadn’t even knocked, which was unusual, and he grabbed at Rey.

“C’mere, you.” He grasped her shirt and pulled, tearing the edge of the delicate fabric. She stumbled after him, unwillingly, holding her backpack strap with shaking fingers. He dragged her down the hall and opened a door she’d never been in. “I got someone coming to look at you, and you best behave, or I’ll send you right back to the system.” His threat scared her. With a month left, she would be sent wherever was free. She wouldn’t be in a city she knew; with people she knew. She snapped her mouth shut as he pushed her in the room.

The door shut behind her. He hadn’t even noticed she still had her bag on. The room was dark and stank like sex. The bed was messy, and the sheets were stained. There was a mirror across the bed and the only window was locked with a padlock. Rey looked around her, tears coming down her face without the ability to stop them, her entire body shaking.

She sank to the floor, her back to the door, and sobbed.

 

\---***---

 

It was nearly an hour later before she heard movement. Her tears had dried up and she remained curled, her knees to her chest. She was so afraid in that moment. She got up and went to the corner of the room, making herself as small as possible. The man that entered the room had never been to this room before. She had never seen Plutt lead this man through the house. The dark eyes observed the room, sweeping at the angles and the bed, before finally landing on her. She had dried her cheeks, but her eyes were still puffy. She looked up to the man who Plutt had sold her to.

He was wearing dark clothes over his pale skin. He didn’t look like the man that normally visited, but he was still terrifying. There was something twisted in his eyes, the way he looked at her hungrily.

“You’re Rey.” He said, his voice scruffy and low. She managed to flare her nostrils.

“And you’re a piece of shit rapist who takes advantage of little girls.” She spit at him. His brows knitted together, and his eyes shined with anger.

“Who the fuck do you think you’re talking to?” The man came closer to her, his coat coming off with one swift movement. She startled at this, her body reacting before she knew what she was doing. She stood, her back to the wall, and spit in his face. The man growled, wiping at her spit, a grimace on his lips.

“You’re a little spitfire, ain’tcha?” He licked his lips. “I like ‘em like that.” He stepped closer. She felt her body move again, her leg coming up to kick at him. His body shot back as her foot connected with his crotch. He fell to his knees, holding his manhood with a shout. She gripped the straps of her bag and leaped over him, throwing the door open and jogging down the stairs. She had one thought on her mind, to escape from hell, because if Plutt caught her, she was done for. Absolutely done for.

She sprinted out the front door, over the lawn, away from the house she’d known. She didn’t know where she was going, only that she had to escape. She only had a month before she was on her own anyway.

She ran and ran, her breath coming out sharp as her body begged for a rest. Her knee screamed, the bandage loose and rubbing her skin raw. She cried.

“Rey?” The voice had her stop in her tracks, her chest heaving with relief and the need to breathe. She turned slowly, her nerves on edge, as she caught blue eyes with her own dark ones. “Rey what are you doing here?”

“I need help, Armitage. Please.”


	4. Scents

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Soulmates?

She was closer to downtown than she was to his apartment building, but Armitage being there did not surprise her. He always seemed to appear when she needed someone to help her. It made her feel weak.

She wiped at her nose aggressively and clipped her seatbelt over her chest, allowing him to speed towards the apartment. He was in his EMT uniform, stained with various colors that she would rather not know, looking as fatigued as she felt. She cleared her throat, unsure of what to say to him. She settled for a neutral topic instead, drying her eyes with her shirt sleeve.

“So, how was work?” She asked finally. Hux looked at her sharply before chuckling.

“I was covering for someone, so I only worked for eight hours today instead of the usual twelve.” He cleared his throat, giving her a sideways glace. “How was school?”

“Oh, you know, I went all day. I had a delicious lunch.” She flushed a little. “Thank you for that, by the way.”

“I always make lunch for Ben, so it wasn’t a huge stretch to make an additional one for you as well.” He made a sharp left turn and Rey realized how far she’d actually run. She looked down at her knee, not surprised that the blood had seeped through her jeans from her knee.

“I need another bandage, Armitage.” She sighed, pressing the area beneath her cut lightly.

“Sure, of course Rey.” He mumbled, taking a right turn. They drove in silence for a little while longer.

“I’m…homeless now.” She finally admitted, her eyes glassing over. Hux nodded as he pulled into the apartment parking lot. He pulled into a covered space and sighed, letting the car rumble on.

“Do you have a plan?” He asked her. She shook her head and looked away, humiliated.

“I don’t have anything.” She said. “I wasn’t going to put that burden on you.”

“The burden on me?”

“The burden of _me._ ” She whispered. “An entire person to have to watch out for or worry about. That’s not what I want to be to anyone.” She sighed. “I’ll find a job and start paying my dues.”

“Look, Rey, I don’t think getting a job is what you need right now. Focus on school, let me take care of the rest.” He turned the car off and they started to get out.

“I can’t let you do that, Armitage. I have nothing to give.”

“What is up with you trying to pay everything back? Just come inside. We can sit down and talk about it.”

“I just want to get patched up, and then I’ll head to the shelter….” He had begun to glare at her with those sharp blue eyes, and she trailed off, following behind him with a limp.

She watched him walk ahead, knowing that this wasn’t the time for arguing. She would make her case later, after a good meal and a shower. He led her into the apartment, putting his bag down on the couch and immediately pulling out a bandage. Ben was at the bar, typing away at his laptop. The smell of chicken drifted around them.

“Good evening, Miss Jakku. Joining us for dinner?” He said without looking up from his work. Rey made an affirming noise, taking a seat next to him on the barstool, placing her backpack at her feet. He looked up at her and his fingers paused.

“Don’t ask.” She said quietly as he took in her bruising face. “Please.”

“Rey.” He whispered. His fingers moved to touch the bruise gently, moving her hair aside. “What even happened?”

She looked up into his face, his dark eyes reading concern. His brows were knitting together, his mouth slightly agape. She could count the freckles scattered across his face and neck. This was too much for her, for a seventeen-year-old foster kid who no longer had a home. Who was inches away from her own bruising face with the pity she hated to see.

Who understood.

She began to cry.

She felt the hot tears burning her hotter cheeks and it made her cry harder. Armitage stood across from them as she began to tell them the truth.

“I came home from school and he began to talk about how he was going to take my worth and cash it out. I’m eighteen next month. I’m no longer a check to him after that. I don’t find enough in the city to really make any money. I don’t contribute enough to get my fill of portions. I watched as he sold my roommates for money, got them addicted to drugs. He would lie and have them removed if they didn’t comply. I kept my mouth shut because I didn’t want him to sell me too.” She gasped between sobs. “I guess he got the letter of me aging out. I was done for. He tried to sell me to this guy, I’d never seen him before.”

“Did anything happen?” Ben asked seriously. She shook her head.

“No, I actually used some of that self-defense you taught us in class, Mr. Solo.” She gave him a soft smile. “I ran away. I have nothing now, except what I have in my bag.” She didn’t want to mention the drugs she carried, but she wanted it to be clear, how much she had was nothing. “I have nothing to offer either of you for staying here. I want to go to a shelter tonight. I’ll figure it out.”

Hux rolled his eyes and put oven mitts on to grab the chicken out of the oven. Ben snorted.

“Yeah, sure thing Rey. I’ll take you myself.” The sarcasm was apparent. She glared at her teacher, unsure of what to say to that. The chicken coming from the oven smelled delicious. Rey’s mouth salivated.

“You’re not going anywhere. If you go to a shelter, they are going to contact the foster system. You’re going to have to be placed somewhere else. You need to at least wait until those bruises heal. Go take your pants off in the other room. I left those sleep pants on my bed for you to wear. I’ll bandage your knee up again.” Hux turned the oven off and started moving chicken to plates. There was no arguing with him. She went to the room, closing the door behind her, and changed quietly.

She could hear Ben and Armitage speaking in the other room, trying to be quiet. She placed her ear against the door to listen.

“-and her records show her birthday on the eleventh of next month. That’s a little under four weeks. She can stay in your room until then.” That was Mr. Solo. She was shocked he would advocate her stay here considering their relationship as his student.

“She might choose to stay longer, depending on how she feels about the situation.” Armitage mumbled. She caught her breath to listen closer.

“Circles are incredibly common, Army. Having multiple matches is not. I think given the circumstances-”

“Given the circumstances, I need to see it closer to see if there is a name there. If she has a match, then we can contact them. If she doesn’t, then she is our responsibility.” Armitage interrupted, a tone of finality in his voice.

“I am willing to see-” Rey tripped forward, and the door rumbled as her forehead smacked into it. They stopped talking immediately and she opened the door, rubbing her forehead. She didn’t want it to seem like she had been eavesdropping.

“Tripped, sorry to scare you.” She rubbed the red spot between her eyes and smiled softly at them. “I am ready for dinner and a fresh bandage.”

“Come sit up here and I will get you all cleaned up.” Hux smiled back at her, placing a plate of chicken in front of her seat. He came around the counter as she sat and pulled her leg to rest on the counter. The skin was freshly torn from the rubbing of her jeans against the bandage, and the scrape itself was stuffed with fibers from her pants and bandage alike. Hux began with a disinfectant as Rey dug into her meal, tearing the chicken from the bone with a fork and stuffing it in her mouth. She took bits of rice and bits of peas with every bite. It was the most delicious chicken she’d ever had before.

“This is so good.” She gushed with her cheeks full. As Hux wiped away the blood from her skin, he smirked.

“Mother’s recipe.” He said dryly. She paused and looked at him curiously before realizing he was joking.

“Well, it’s good.” She admitted. He set to work with his antiseptic, which stung, before wrapping a bandage around her knee again. He patted the top jokingly before going to the sink to wash his hands. Ben had remained silent as he ate, forming arguments and rebuttals in his head for his stubborn student.

“Look Rey, I think it would be best if you stayed here until you were eighteen. That’s just a month away. You won’t have to move schools or tell the police what happened, although I strongly recommend you do after your birthday.” Ben said finally in the silence of the apartment. Rey knew this was coming and didn’t have the strength to resist the warm bed, the safety of these two strangers compared to where she had been housed since she was a young girl.

“Yeah, that’s probably for the best.” She admitted. “I just don’t want you to get in trouble with your job.” She glanced up at Mr. Solo. He scoffed.

“Stop worrying about me for a damn minute, Rey. We need to talk about the fact that you were almost raped today. You’ve been sleeping God knows where, around all types of illegal narcotics, eating probably expired foods. Rey, stop fighting us on this. Let us _help_ you.” He looked at her seriously again, with intense eyes. She nodded slowly. “We both know what this is like, alright. Transitioning sucks. But you need a diploma and good grades to get into a good college.”

“I’m not going to be able to go to college, are you kidding? With what money?” She chuckled out.

“There are so many programs out there for foster kids to go to school. How do you think we both ended up with our degrees?” Hux interjected. “We had to work to get through college, but we didn’t end up with much in the way of student debt and we were able to find job placements relatively easy. Have you thought about what you wanted to do?”

“To be honest, Army, I just wanted to survive until I was eighteen.” She said honestly. Armitage nodded.

“Yeah, I could see the point in that. Let’s talk about college later. Tonight, let’s just rest and focus on a plan. To be honest, I think you should skip school tomorrow. Your face is going to bruise and there won’t be a way to explain it away.” Armitage said to her. She pursed her lips.

“I’m going to see about having you moved to Ms. Phasma’s gym class instead of mine.” Ben said. “It would still cause an investigation, but you wouldn’t be my student anymore. I could talk my way out of it. The vital thing is going to be discretion.”

“Okay.” Rey agreed. She knew it was an argument she wasn’t going to win.

“I have to ask you something, Rey.” Hux stated as he removed her plate from in front of her. She turned her attention to him. “Have you met your soulmate yet?”

“I have not.” She said softly. Most of the people she knew had met theirs, like Poe and Finn. She knew soulmates weren’t always romantical. She wasn’t embarrassed that she hadn’t matched yet, but she had a mark and she figured that one day, when the timing was right, she would know. Her mark was special, though.

“Have you tried to see if one of your classmates match your mark?” Hux questioned her, rubbing his shoulder.

“I tried, like everyone does. We would compare to see if they matched, but I never did with anyone. I’ve had mine since I was born, they would be older than me.”

“They?” Ben asked curiously. She nodded and shrugged.

“Yeah, my mark is actually two separate marks. Two semi circles. Both circles are different but almost toughing.” She flushed. “I know it’s weird. I haven’t heard of many people who have two or more soulmates, but I’ve seen some kids in school have separate marks for friends and for matches.” Ben stood as his phone rang, swearing with the timing. He answered and jogged to his bedroom to take the call privately.

“Show it to me.” Armitage demanded. She looked at him cautiously.

“Why would you want to see it?”

“Call it curiosity, or the need to know.” He leaned over the counter. “Just show me, Rey. You know why I want to see it.”

“But what happens if….”

“Then we will figure it out, darling. Just show me.”

She reached up to her shirt and slowly dipped her fingers under the material, dragging it down her shoulder. She used her thumb to move the sports bra out of the way. Her eyes remained on his face as he examined the mark closely. She knew what he had found when he had a sharp intake of breath. Her heart pound against her ribcage as her trembling fingers pulled her shirt over the mark. His hand flew to his shoulder and he gripped tightly, pulling his own shirt over. Her eyes hungrily ate up the tattoo, desperate to find a name in the match. There were only symbols, intricate swirls and designs that matched identical to her own.

Her hands trembled as she reached out to touch the mark. It was flat to his skin, definitely not a fake. His skin was warm against her fingertips and tears sprung to her eyes as she stroked the mark softly.

“No.” She whispered out. “There is no way this is real life. It can’t be real.” Her eyes found his as she retracted her hand.

“This is real life. Nobody would understand you better than I do.”

“This is too sudden.” She gasped out, gripping her collarbone painfully. “I’ve only just met you.”

“That’s how this works, love.” He gave her a knowing smile. “Now head to bed, I think I’ll play hooky from work tomorrow so we can talk.” She nodded and moved on stiff legs to his room.

She shut the door behind her and let out a shaky breath. There was no way this was her life now, no way that she would find her match by chance. Someone who saved her from an attack and who was there again today, to pull her off the road and bandage her up.

But who else would it be, really?

She crawled into bed, letting the smell of sandalwood lull her to sleep.

On the other side of the apartment, Hux burst into the room he shared with Ben. The phone call was ending, and Ben was just plugging his phone into the wall.

He turned to see the look on Armitage’s face.

“What happened, what’s wrong?” Ben asked. Armitage just smiled with wide eyes.

“I was right, Ben. It’s her!”

Ben froze, his mouth agape.

“Well, shit.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> soulmates bitches


End file.
